Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

NFL teams reportedly much less enthusiastic about 2023 WR draft class than pundits

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Grey Papke | Last updated 4/10/23

It is not tough to find a set of rankings that have four wide receivers in the top 30 of the 2023 NFL Draft class. Those public rankings, however, may significantly differ from how NFL teams themselves see things.

Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy suggested Monday that many NFL teams only have one wide receiver with a first-round grade, even though mock drafts have as many as four or five being selected in the first round. According to Nagy, Ohio State’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba is the clear standout, with teams harboring lower opinions of the others.

One thing has become clear on calls around league past couple weeks: NFL isn’t nearly as high on this year’s WR class as media.

Frequently seeing 4-5 wideouts in mocks. Have spoken to numerous teams that have only one first round grade at the position. That guy is JSN.

— Jim Nagy (@JimNagy_SB) April 10, 2023

This is a bit of a surprise, as you will often see TCU’s Quentin Johnston or Boston College’s Zay Flowers rated rather highly in positional rankings. Though some (or many) NFL teams might not agree, it does not necessarily mean either of them will slip to the second round.

As for Smith-Njigba, the former Ohio State star may have missed most of the 2022 season, but he certainly seems to have impressed NFL teams anyway. He has hinted at wanting one team in particular to make him their pick.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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